Wierd Power Steering Problem
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
Wierd Power Steering Problem
I rebuilt my control valve today using Jim Shea's papers. I purged the air, centered the valve, etc. Everything seemed fine until I went to turn left into a parking space. As I got close to full left the power steering pulled the steering wheel out of my hand and spun it to full left lock. I then had to wrestle it back to the right. Steering works fine otherwise, I can turn it to full right lock with no problems.
This doesn't seem like a centering problem to me and I didn't see anything similar in the search I did. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks,
Rick L.
P.S. I rebuilt the control valve because it was leaking.
This doesn't seem like a centering problem to me and I didn't see anything similar in the search I did. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks,
Rick L.
P.S. I rebuilt the control valve because it was leaking.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 412
Likes: 1
From: St. John's Newfoundland
I am by no means an expert, but to me it sounds like maybe all the air wasn't out of your system before you set up your control valve. I just rebuilt mine, and had no issues.
Did you disconnect the steering rod from the bracket on the frame?
Did you disconnect the steering rod from the bracket on the frame?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
Yes, I disconnected the steering rod from the bracket when I centered the control valve.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
The steering system needs to be 'exercised' many times from lock-to-lock in order to get the air completely out of the system. With wheels off the ground, do that 5-8 times slowly with engine OFF. Then check fluid level and add, if necessary. Now start the car and repeat the process with engine ON. Recheck fluid level and refill if needed. Now you can start it up again and check the balance of the control valve (using Jim Shea's procedure). If all is well, put the left wheel back on, set the car on the ground and go for a ride.
If you did all of the above steps and still had the wheel "do its own thing", there was likely an assembly error in the rebuild of the control valve. Hopefully, Jim Shea will read this thread and offer his advice.
If you did all of the above steps and still had the wheel "do its own thing", there was likely an assembly error in the rebuild of the control valve. Hopefully, Jim Shea will read this thread and offer his advice.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
Thought I had a pinched hose, not really pinched more of a tighter radius than I liked. Not enough to have damaged the hose. I fixed that and I am still having the problem.
The routing of the lines from the ram to the hydraulic side of the control valve appears to be correct. The hose that attaches to the top of the ram connects to the bottom of the control valve and vice versa.
I do not believe there is any air in the system. I accidently overfilled the pump yesterday and went for a long (1 hour) drive. Today I checked the level in the pump and it is correct. So I figure the fluid either went out the cap or displaced the air in the system, or both. The pump is quiet and there is no surging or noise when turning the wheel.
I am going to try the centering procedure again, but I doubt it is going to help.
One thing I noticed today is that whomever put the power steering on the car left the tie rods mounted in the manual steering holes. Not sure if this matters.
Anybody have Jim Shea's e-mail address?
Thanks,
Rick L.
The routing of the lines from the ram to the hydraulic side of the control valve appears to be correct. The hose that attaches to the top of the ram connects to the bottom of the control valve and vice versa.
I do not believe there is any air in the system. I accidently overfilled the pump yesterday and went for a long (1 hour) drive. Today I checked the level in the pump and it is correct. So I figure the fluid either went out the cap or displaced the air in the system, or both. The pump is quiet and there is no surging or noise when turning the wheel.
I am going to try the centering procedure again, but I doubt it is going to help.
One thing I noticed today is that whomever put the power steering on the car left the tie rods mounted in the manual steering holes. Not sure if this matters.
Anybody have Jim Shea's e-mail address?
Thanks,
Rick L.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
At least the control valve doesn't leak anymore. I really didn't want to pull that thing apart to make sure I didn't assemble it wrong
Bubba strikes again!!
Thanks for all the help.
Rick L.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
Are you sure you have the wrong Pitman arm? The reason I ask is that there are two holes in the steering knuckle for the tie rod to go into. Depending on which hole you use controls the steering ratio (fast steering front hole, slow steering rear hole).
On power steering cars you can't use the rearward hole (slow) or interference will occur. Do a quick visual check to see which hole the tie rod is installed into.
On power steering cars you can't use the rearward hole (slow) or interference will occur. Do a quick visual check to see which hole the tie rod is installed into.
Last edited by 08vycpe; Apr 28, 2010 at 08:02 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
The manual steering pitman arm has the numbers 3829452 forged or cast on the arm. It was used on 1963 through 1976 manual steering Corvettes.
The power steering pitman arm had the numbers 3741383 usually with an "A" or "B" suffix. It was used on 1963 through 1982 Corvettes with power steering. It was also used on all full size 1958 -62 passenger cars as well as 63 and 64 full size passenger cars with power steering.
Jim
The power steering pitman arm had the numbers 3741383 usually with an "A" or "B" suffix. It was used on 1963 through 1982 Corvettes with power steering. It was also used on all full size 1958 -62 passenger cars as well as 63 and 64 full size passenger cars with power steering.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; May 3, 2010 at 09:04 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 499
Likes: 4
From: Loxahatchee FL
The manual steering pitman arm has the numbers 3829452 forged or cast on the arm. It was used on 1963 through 1976 manual steering Corvettes.
The power steering pitman arm had the numbers 3741383 usually with an "A" or "B" suffix. It was used on 1963 through 1982 Corvettes with power steering. It was also used on all full size 1958 -62 passenger cars as well as 63 and 64 full size passenger cars with power steering.
Jim
The power steering pitman arm had the numbers 3741383 usually with an "A" or "B" suffix. It was used on 1963 through 1982 Corvettes with power steering. It was also used on all full size 1958 -62 passenger cars as well as 63 and 64 full size passenger cars with power steering.
Jim
